Teen locked up for four months after robbery at bookies

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has been given a four-month sentence for his role in an armed burglary at a Dublin bookmakers.

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has been given a four-month sentence for his role in an armed burglary at a Dublin bookmakers.

Garda Conor Tumbleton told the court the boy and a co-defendant were discovered after the alarm activated.

They fled the bookmakers and got onto the roof of an adjacent building, then jumped over an alleyway onto a flat roof of another building and refused to come down.

Gun

Garda negotiators were called out and eventually the pair came down. CCTV from the bookmakers showed the co-accused had a gun which was later recovered from the roof.

Gda Tumbleton said that the weapon was a 6mm air gun but it was a "realistic imitation".

No one was in the bookmakers at the time, the court also heard. The teenager had nine prior criminal convictions, which included burglary and other theft offences.

The boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to burglary at Boylesports, on Main Street in Swords, on February 9 last.

Finalisation of the case had been adjourned to allow time for a pre-sentence probation report to be furnished to the court.

In mitigation pleas, defence counsel Damian McKeone addressed the court and asked Judge John O'Connor to note the boy's young age.

He said the teenager is in full-time care of the Child and Family Agency and had a drug problem, but had started to engage with a substance abuse treatment service.

He has also got work and has resumed contact with his family.

The boy was accompanied to court by his mother and staff from his care home, and sat silently as the judge said he had considered imposing a 12-month sentence, but in light of the probation report he said he was giving the youth four months' detention.

supervision

Judge O'Connor also ordered that the teenager would be required to remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for four months after his sentence ends.

The boy also had a breach of the peace charge taken into consideration while his remaining charges - burglary, robbery and cannabis possession - were adjourned until a later date.

An 18-year-old co-defendant is also before the courts in connection with the burglary.